French ab initio

Part of the IB Diploma Programme subject group 2, Language Acquisition, French ab initio is recommended for students who have little or no experience of learning French. Our course content is designed to be challenging, engaging and a positive educational experience for each student.

Course structure

The course covers the following topics:

Year 1

• Apercu du cours
• Ma famille et moi
• Apparaence et caractere
• Amities et relations resonelles
• La vie quotidienne et l’école
• Le monde culinaire
• Ma ville et mon quartier
• Le shopping
• Les vacances et les voyages
• Révision et l’examen de fin d’année
• Les célébrations et les traditions

Year 2

• Les loisirs et le sport
• La sante
• Les études et le travail
• La technologie
• Comment faire un bon oral?
• Les media et le divertissement
• Préparation aux épreuves 1 et 2
• Les problèmes de l’environnent
• Les questions mondiales
• Révision et entrainement a l’examen

Activities and assessment

French ab initio students may be involved in many different forms of communication and exposed to a wide variety of texts. They will be encouraged to get involved in class discussions about written texts, informal conversations, everyday scenarios and emails. Students are expected to develop accuracy and fluency in expression and control over vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and intonation.

A range of texts are accessed in the course. Language skills are not developed in isolation but through the use of a wide range of contemporary materials such as web pages, advertisements, newspaper and magazine articles, catalogues, forms, instructions, and much more.

Assessment will be both formative and summative and fully in accordance with IB criteria.

Advice from our teachers

In order to succeed in French ab initio SL, we recommend students set aside five to six hours a week.